Use this healthier Cream of Anything Soup Mix recipe in place of the canned variety for all of the flavor without the extra sodium, calories, and fat.
This soup mix is perfect for busy days…
During the school year, I spend my days homeschooling and my evenings taking the kids to martial arts or scouts. I use my slow cooker several times a week because without it, I wouldn’t be able to get dinner on the table before we have to leave.
So many slow cooker recipes call for cream of something soup. I like the convenience of cooking with it, but I prefer to cook with healthier foods. Luckily, there is a healthier option. You can make your own cream of anything soup mix!
I’m not sure why I didn’t think of this sooner. I guess I thought that cream of something soups were just a thing that I couldn’t make at home.
This cream of anything soup mix recipe is so easy to make with things that I regularly keep on hand, and it just takes a few minutes to make. It makes almost 5 cups of soup mix, so it replaces 15 cans of soup. That’s more than enough to last us several months.
I didn’t calculate how much each item cost because I had everything in my pantry. I’m sure it’s also a significant savings over buying canned soup as well as being healthier.
This cream of anything soup mix recipe has to have a thickener. I use cornstarch, but you can also use arrowroot powder. They both thicken your recipe, but arrowroot powder is generally better at lower temperatures. If you use a slow cooker often, that will work for you. However, if your favorite recipe involves a high oven temperature, the consistency might be off. Using arrowroot powder at higher temperatures won’t harm you or your recipe, but it may not thicken as well as using cornstarch.
Cream of Anything Soup Mix
Ingredients
- 4 cups non-fat powdered milk
- 1.5 cups arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- .5 cups instant chicken bouillon
- 4 tsp dried onion flakes
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Measure all ingredients and place in a bowl. Stir well. You can use a bullet style blender or a food processor to grind into a fine powder if you want. Store in a container with a lid until ready to use.
- When you need a can of soup, heat one cup of water on the stove. Add ⅓ cup dry mix. Cook over low heat until thick, stirring occasionally. I find that a whisk helps it mix better than using a spoon.
- If you want a specific kind of cream of something soup, add one of the following:--½ cup diced mushrooms--½ cup chopped broccoli--½ cup diced celery--½ cup shredded cheddar cheese--½ cup cooked, shredded or cubed chicken--½ cup diced tomatoes
Notes
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Cari Dunn is homesteading on an 11.5 acre farm with her husband, three kids, 5 goats, and flock of chickens. She currently blogs at Everything Pretty where she features health and beauty tips along with DIY beauty recipes.
Joan says
Just an FYI-my husband is allergic to corn, so I’ve substituted a lot for cornstarch in various recipes. Arrowroot might not be the best in this as I’ve found it has a somewhat slimy consistency when used with milk products. I’ve never used it with dry milk, so I’m not sure that it would do that here. Have you made this mix with the arrowroot? Does it work ok? I’d be more inclined to try tapioca or rice starch, the latter because I have a “cream” of soup recipe that utilizes instant rice so that when you purée it in the blender after cooking, it looks and tastes like a milk based soup without the dairy.
Elizabeth W. says
I’ve used arrowroot in white sauce bases of all kinds and it’s worked really well for me. However, if you know another option that works for you, I’d definitely go for that!
Kerry says
Great recipe. Do you think using a soy milk or coconut milk powder would work for those who can’t hsve dairy? Thanks!
Amanda Taylor says
Love this recipe. We love to use cream of mushroom soup for a lot of recipes. This was a great alternative to the canned version. Thank you!
Elizabeth Walling says
Thank you, Amanda! So glad you loved it. <3
Elizabeth Smith says
So how do you actually make up the soup once the soup mix is made, please?
Elizabeth Walling says
When you need a can of soup, heat one cup of water on the stove. Add ⅓ cup dry mix. Cook over low heat until thick, stirring occasionally with a whisk.
Laura Tindell says
Why is the sodium content so high in the box Nutrition facts.
Elizabeth Walling says
Sorry, that was a miscalculation in serving size! It’s been corrected.
Glenn Wilmer says
To be clear, when a recipe calls for 1 can of condensed something soup, Then it calls for adding a cup of water or an amount of soy sauce ect. ect. this recipe serves as the 1 can of condensed something soup ? Did I get that right? Thanks
Elizabeth Walling says
Yes, that is correct. Substitute 1/3 cup of the dry mix for the can of condensed soup.
Zelma says
Diabetics can use tapioca as a thickener for things. Would tapioca work in this situation?